Behind The Mask
by IansDestiny
Summary: Complete Evey recalls her experience with V, but sometimes the past is not always ready to die.


Evey stood silently on the rooftop staring at the slow steady downpour. The sweet smell of roses radiated from the greenhouse behind her and sent her back a two years ago the first time she'd experienced the beauty and complexity of the man known only as V. She gave a sad smile thinking of the night she placed him on his chariot after he achieved his goal in life.

In his own right he was more then just flesh and bone, his whole persona was a perfect reflection of a belief in a better world. V stood for a cause and in doing so brought a chaotic totalitarian nation to anarchy and back to an existence worth believing and fighting for. He did what those before him weren't strong enough or fearless enough to do. His methods were less than conventional but creative and more than effective; they were a way of life.

That's how the world outside these walls and beyond these boarders will remember the man in the mask. He, who fought against a Government, returned a nation and its government back to its people.

Evey smiled a sad and hurtful smile, every night she dreamed of him and replayed the night she watched him walk away a man on a mission and return a man on his deathbed. If only there were more she could have done for him, a way to save him in those final minutes. Standing there outside the train car her eyes deceived her as she thought she saw the body of their savior move, but alas it was all a simple dream. V was gone and with that a part of her heart and soul. He had created her and taught her to be free of fear and now the only fear she felt was that of returning to his house and life and bed alone.

Evey looked back over her shoulder towards the door to his mansion, V had surprised her the night of his revolution. He had given her all he was, all he'd created and all he'd dreamed of his entire existence.

A single tear escaped her eyes, every time she thought about the entire situation her heart broke a little more. She wrapped her arms around herself looking for comfort in one of his black cloaks; it had his familiar scent of leather and cologne locked inside the threads forever. She glanced one more time up at the sky and slowly started making her way back to the elevator.

When the elevator hit the bottom floor she stepped out taking a few steps in the direction of the bedroom, she stopped suddenly and headed to the jukebox. She stood there staring at the glass blindly, lost in her own personal thoughts. Her fingers nimbly moved over the buttons for their song, the one and only song they ever danced to, a simple request he asked of her. And they danced, slowly moving to the sweet melody, both secretly wishing the song would go on forever. Evey had hated herself for not coming back to him sooner; but she had been afraid. Afraid of what was to become of that fateful night, afraid of what would happen to him but first and foremost the feelings she'd gained for V. She wasn't afraid for herself, he'd helped her get past that but she was afraid of the intense fear she felt about the chance of loosing him. The whole time she had been on her own there was always that feeling the sense of peace knowing where he was and that for the most part he was safe.

As the final note ended she was brought out of her thoughts, she looked around the room and sighed. It was almost like she had felt him enter the room, but alas it was only a heartfelt wish and her senses playing games with her.

Evey's head turned back towards the bedroom and made her way slowly, time passed by so terribly slow these days. It was funny how a single year could have flown by so quickly and now even a day seemed to last a life time. She decided to try to sleep, even though even that was hard to come by still. Every night she relived that horrible night, holding him in her arms as he lay bleeding, gasping for breath and in his final minutes confessed what she had secretly pleaded to hear. 'He loved me.' That thought brought on fresh tears, she lived that night over and over again in her dreams. Every night she saved him, she convinced him not to go, anything that would keep him alive and in her arms. But every morning she'd wake, sad, cold and alone in a large empty bed inside the large lonesome house that offered nothing but memories.

Evey crawled into bed wrapping the covers around her like a mother would swaddle her infant; the warmth reminded her of the safety of his arms. Over and over again she tossed and turned, finally crying herself to sleep an hour later, drifting off to haunted dreams of the man she missed so much.

Evey had barely gotten to sleep when the faint sound of music caused her to stir, her eyes fluttered for a few moments until she was entirely sure she wasn't dreaming. She sat up quickly in bed and looked around, she was still in bed and everything was as it was when she fell asleep. "Music?" She grabbed one of V's daggers she kept under her pillow for protection and climbed out the bed. Softly, she padded out of the room and down the hallway towards the living room where his jukebox was located. Evey peaked her head around the corner but could not see the middle of the room, tightening her grip on the dagger she cautiously stepped out from hiding in the hallway to the living room.

The clatter of the dagger to the floor startled the being at the jukebox causing him to turn around; Evey's eyes went wide as she starred at the man she'd dreamed about since that fateful night. V stood before her, dressed in his patented all black ensemble, his back now to the jukebox. What sounded like a silent prayer she heard him whisper, "Evey…."

Evey's lower lip quivered as she tried to take deep breaths, afraid this was all a dream, 'No, a nightmare,' she thought. Her entire body threatened to give way as she starred at him, she started to shake and felt light headed as her legs became incredibly weak. Before her body could touch the floor strong arms surrounded her and lifted her up into his tight embrace carrying her to the couch. "V?" she whispered before she succumbed to darkness.

The small frame of a sleeping Evey lay in peaceful slumber; a gloved hand slid the stray locks away from his angel's face. Unconsciously she turned into the glove like a kitten nuzzling the hand of its owner, quietly she whispered, "Oh V I've missed you so."

Rubbing his thumb gently on her cheek the masked man responded, "I've missed you too, Evey."

As if a bolt of electricity coursed through her at the sound of his voice, Evey's eyes shot open, "V!" The sight before her was beauty beyond words. "God V…I can't believe it." Evey lunged at him wrapping her arms around him to ensure he was real, for what seemed like an eternity they held one another until Evey pulled back. "But how? V…I was there I held you…I even put you on the trai.."

A gloved finger came to her lips to stifle her questions, "Evey; please no more questions. Just be here…" he paused starring at her in a comfortable silence, "With me?"

Tears started to stream down her face, every night she'd dream of this; of him. As though she had control of her own she grabbed his hands and leaned up to him kissing him again on a mask that had rarely experienced the feel of human contact.

V just relished in the feel of her beside him and behind his mask a slow smile appeared, after a few moments he gently placed his hands on her upper arms and moved her back a bit breaking the contact with his mask. The two sat silently starring at one another until V broke the silence, "I've a gift for you Evey." He stood and made his way to his cloak lying over a chair in the corner.

Evey raised her eyebrow at him, "V the last time you gave me a gift I…you..." Unable to finish her sentence her eyes filled with tears at the pain of her memories that tormented her nightly in her dreams.

The change in her demeanor was quickly evident to V; he removed a small box from his cloak and moved to her once again. "Evey this isn't something I have ever given to anyone." He stroked the casing of the box he held slowly, "Understand that if you accept this, there is no going back, you will have it all."

Evey stood from the bed and took a few unsure steps towards him, "No going back? Have all of what V?" She asked standing before him the look on her face evident that she still did not know who this man before her was. She watched as he extended his hand to her and offering his gift to her.

V watched as she started to open the gift, as the box lid fell open she removed the item inside. At the questioning look on her face he whispered softly, "All of me. Evey, we fight everyday just to stay alive," he lifted his hand to her cheek and caressed her softly. "Let us not fight what is between us anymore."

Evey held up the contents of the box, it was a black satin mask. "Why a mask, V? I don't understand." She ran the soft satin through her fingers slowly as she starred at him.

V's head fell a little; he took a few deep breaths, "Evey, do you remember your first morning here? When you saw my hands?" At her nod in agreement he continued, "Do you remember how they got like that?"

The question sent Evey reeling for a moment, of all the things she didn't know about him she couldn't forget the tiny details he offered her about his life and who he was. "About the fire..?" Then it hit her; what exactly the mask was for, he didn't want her to see the damage the fire had done to him and her heart broke for him.

V nodded, "This costume… this persona; I've worn since then has been all I've ever known; until you Evey. There is a man Evey beneath this wall." He waved to his mask and all black motifs, in an instance he moved to her and took her hand pressing it to his chest. "Do you feel that Evey, that is life you feel beating beneath your hand. Not a ghost or an idea but a man; standing before you…wishing to love you the way you deserve."

Evey's heart skipped a beat, the man she loved stood before her asking to love her. It was all she'd ever dreamed of since that day and now here he was before her; it was more than amazing; it was perfect.

V reached out and for the mask and took it from her, "Every…do you trust me?"

A bright smile crossed her face and she nodded, "With my life V." Evey took a few deep breathes and closed her eyes.

V stepped behind her and slowly tied the mask on her face; V took her by the hand and led her back towards the bed. He removed his mask and touched her face, "So beautiful my love," with the last words spoken V kissed her. It was sweet yet strong and full of passion beyond words; he wrapped his arms around her to hold her closer.

Evey held on as tight as she could and sank into him when he kissed her, it was beyond perfect. His lips felt so soft and different than anyone she'd ever shared this type of embrace with, she wished it to go on forever. Evey kept her eyes closed and let V take charge as he started to lead her closer to the bed finally kneeling on the bed as he lowered her down with him. V's kisses were more than just kisses it felt like he was touching her soul.

V's hands roamed over the beautiful body beneath her; hesitantly he broke the kiss and left little kisses across her cheek to her neck where he just took in her scent. His lips moved next to her ear, he began to whisper to her, "Ancient man believed that the air had magic powers; and that when a man and a woman kissed it was if their souls were intertwined, Evey. Everything I am is yours…I love you."

Evey was so overwhelmed tears started to flow freely she reached up to remove the mask and opened her eyes, but there was no mask on her face. Even worse there was no V lying above her on the bed, tears continued to stream down her face as she sat up looking around the room for any indication that V had indeed been there and this hadn't been a horrid trick by her mind. "No…no …V?! V!!!" She looked around the room and squeezed her eyes closed tightly, "V…I love you too."

_Fin_

_Please don't hate me for doing that! It's just I wrote the ending before anything else…I led you on but it was a fun ride! I was thinking about writing another but I'll see how everyone likes this one and the feedback I get. Come check out my other stories and fan vids at my website._

_Always yours,_

_Lady_


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